Criminal Minds cast ages: How old were the actors when they first appeared on the CBS show (and now)?

Criminal Minds has been one of CBS’s most popular long-running television show. Now that it is on the Paramount+ streaming network under the title Criminal Minds: Evolution, it continues to drum up excitement for fans of the series who have stuck with it over the years. One of the most compelling aspects of the show are the agents who we have come to know and love over the years.

Even though the series was cancelled on CBS after season 15, it was brought back two years later as a streaming series. Being on for over 17 seasons since its debut on Sept. 22, 2005, there have been many stars who joined the main cast for a short time as agents of the BAU.

However, the core group has, more or less, stayed the same. From the pilot episode alone, the only remaining original cast member left who was in the first episode is Kirsten Vangness as Penelope Garcia.

A.J. Cook made her appearance as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau in episode 2, but she has still remained a constant figure, even during her brief absence alongside Paget Brewster, who joined as Emily Prentiss in season 2. To celebrate the longevity of the show, we’re looking at the cast from the beginning and where they are now.

Mandy Patinkin

Even though celebrated actor Mandy Patinkin only appeared in the first two seasons of the series along with a couple of episodes in season 3, he has long continued to remain an important figure to the team. Jason Gideon was an agent who originally had returned to the BAU after a case led to the death of multiple agents under his watch. Patinkin left the series due to the graphic nature of the show, but despite this, his character continues to be an important part of the BAU’s legacy.

Patinkin, born on Nov. 30, 1952, was about to turn 53 when the show debuted. He may be best known for his portrayal as Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride and most recently starred in the Hulu series Death and Other Details. He is currently 71 years old.

Thomas Gibson

Gibson played BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner for 11 seasons before leaving the show due to issues behind the scenes. In the show itself, Agent Hotchner left after his son became a target of a serial killer that had been on the team’s radar. In order to protect his son and himself, he went into witness protection and later decided not to rejoin the team so he could be a full time father. 

Gibson, who was born on July 3, 1962, is also known for Dharma & Greg. He was 43 when show aired and he is now 62 years old. 

Shemar Moore

Moore played SSA Derek Morgan and was one of the best parts of the show. He had such a wide range on the show, showing us how his painful past shaped who he was as an agent in the field. The actor, who was born on April 20, 1970, was 35 when the series premiered.

Best known for his years on the soap The Young and the Restless, Moore can currently be seen on the CBS series S.W.A.T., which faced cancellation and then a renewal for a final season before being renewed for season 8. Since S.W.A.T. keeps him busy, we may not get to see Moore return to the world of Criminal Minds, but we won’t complain if he does! 

Moore left the show after season 11 when his character’s girlfriend gave birth to their son. He did make two special appearances in later seasons, and we hope to see him again. The actor is now 54 years old.

Matthew Gray Gubler

Born on March 9, 1980, Gubler portrayed Dr. Spencer Reid during the show’s run until the end of season 15. While he has not appeared in Criminal Minds: Evolution due to scheduling conflicts, we’re hoping that eventually we’ll be able to see Reid rejoin the team.  At the time the show premiered, Gubler was 25 years old. 

Besides appearing in the series, Gubler has also appeared in 500 Days of Summer and Alvin and the Chipmunks. He is currently 44 years old.

Lola Glaudini

Even though Glaudini left the series during the second season, she was part of the original team when the show aired. Her character, Elle Greenaway, left after being shot by an unsub who had been stalking the team. She had also shot and killed another unsub, which led to her resignation.

Glaudini was born on Nov. 24, 1971 making her almost 34 when the series premiered. Now 52 years old, she has also appeared in Invincible and The Offer.

Kirsten Vangsness

Vangsness, who was born on July 7, 1972, portrays tech analyst Penelope Garcia, who has always been a fan favorite. She brings lightheartedness to an otherwise dark show full of horror. Since the very first episode, she has been a constant presence on the series. Even though she sees a lot of sadness and death in her work, she does not allow it to dampen her spirits. 

In addition to her work on the show, Vangsness has also appeared in In My Sleep and Pretty The Series. She is 52 years old.

A.J. Cook

Born on July 22, 1978, Cook was 27 when she appeared on Criminal Minds in the second episode of season 1. Jennifer “JJ” Jareau has always been one of my favorite characters. She is kind, empathetic, and has grown a lot since she went from being a media liaison to a full fledged agent with the BAU. Jareau briefly left the BAU after Cook was let go from the series. However, she eventually made her return and has continued to portray the character of JJ since.

Besides Criminal Minds, Cook has also appeared in The Virgin Suicides, Final Destination 2, and Back Fork. She will be turning 46 in July 2024.

Joe Mantegna

Mantegna first appeared in season 3 of Criminal Minds as David Rossi, an author who was also part of spearheading the early days of the BAU alongside Jason Gideon. Born on Nov. 13, 1947, the seasoned actor has appeared in various film and television shows such as The Godfather Part III, Joan of Arcadia, and Searching for Bobby Fischer. He was about to turn 60 years old when his episode debuted in season 3.

Mantegna reprised his role as Rossi in Criminal Minds: Evolution and he has been doing a great job of portraying him struggling in the aftermath of not only losing his wife, but also suffering the after effects of being abducted by Elias Voit, the current antagonist in the show. He is 76 years old.

Paget Brewster

Joining the series in season 2 as Emily Prentiss, Brewster has also been a fixture on the show. For a short time, Brewster left Criminal Minds when she was let go after season 7. Her character made brief appearances before officially returning to the team in season 12. When Aaron Hotchner left, she was appointed BAU Chief and has continued to hold this position. 

Brewster, who was born on March 10, 1969, was 37 when her episode debuted in 2006. She is currently 55 years old and has also had roles in How I Met Your Father and Community. 

Daniel Henney, Adam Rodriguez, and Aisha Tyler

While this is a list of Criminal Minds stars who made their debut in the early days of the show, there are three later season additions to the show of note as well--Daniel Henney, Adam Rodriguez, and Aisha Tyler. The latter two are still a part of the franchise.

Henney originally was introduced as Agent Matt Simmons in the short lived spin off Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. He would eventually join the BAU officially in season 13, after having made an appearance the previous season. Born on Nov. 28, 1979, he was 38 when he officially joined in season 13. 

Due to his role in The Wheel of Time, Henney has been unable to reprise his role as Matt Simmons, but he is said to still be with the team, just on a different assignment. However, fans are still waiting for the day he comes back to the show in addition to Gubler. Henney, who is currently 44 years old, can also be seen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Big Hero 6, and Missing.

Rodriguez and Tyler were the most recent cast additions, with Rodriguez joining as Luke Alvez in season 12 and Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis in season 11. Rodriguez was born on April 2, 1975 and was 41 when he made his debut. He is currently 49 years old. Besides the series, he is also known for his role in CSI: Miami. 

Tyler was born on Sept. 18, 1970 and was 45 when she joined the show. Currently 53 years old, Tyler has also appeared in Friends and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

You can watch all seasons of Criminal Minds on Hulu as well as the current season of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+.